” Thousands of tax workers will stage strike action in separate disputes over jobs and privatisation of services and a “punitive” new sickness absence system.

Members of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) at HM Revenue and Customs will walk out for three hours from 12 noon in protest at plans to hand “sensitive data” to private companies, which they fear will lead to job cuts.

The union said around 20,000 of its members will be involved in the industrial action as it steps up opposition to a planned year-long trial using private staff in two contact centres in Bathgate, Scotland and Lillyhall, Cumbria.

…

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “Our members have very serious concerns about this creeping privatisation into HM Revenue and Customs and, as well as the threat to their jobs, they do not think such sensitive data should be handed over to private firms.

“This is also happening at a time when senior managers are trying to bring in an unnecessarily punitive and counter-productive sick policy that seeks to penalise people for being ill, rather than support them.” “